Lawmakers Call for Cuomo's Resignation
More than 120 state lawmakers are calling for the governor to resign, with 60 lawmakers signing a letter yesterday that said "he has lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature,"
After more than a 10 years of dominance in Albany, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's power is coming to an end.
The calls for Cuomo's resignation grow louder every day, and 121 members of the state Assembly and Senate have said publicly they believe Cuomo can no longer govern and should quit office now, according to a tally by The Associated Press.
The count includes 65 Democrats and 56 Republicans.
Cuomo's support in the state Senate was especially thin. Roughly two thirds of its members have called for the Democrat's resignation, including Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
A group of 59 Democratic state legislators on Thursday demanded Cuomo's resignation in a letter in the wake of the latest allegation, in which an aide to Cuomo claimed he groped her in the governor's residence.
The Times Union of Albany reported that the woman, who it did not name, was alone with Cuomo late last year when he closed the door, reached under her shirt and fondled her. The newspaper's reporting is based on an unidentified source with direct knowledge of the woman's accusation. The governor had summoned her to the Executive Mansion in Albany, saying he needed help with his cellphone, the newspaper reported.
"In light of the Governor's admission of inappropriate behavior and the findings of altered data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths he has lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature, rendering him ineffective in this time of most urgent need," the lawmakers' letter said. "It is time for Governor Cuomo to resign."
The letter released by the group comes as Cuomo's grip on power in the state appeared increasingly tenuous.
The top Democrat in the state Assembly, Speaker Carl Heastie, released a statement authorizing a committee to begin an impeachment investigation:
"After meeting with the Assembly Majority Conference today, I am authorizing the Assembly Judiciary Committee to begin an impeachment investigation, led by Chair Charles D. Lavine, to examine allegations of misconduct against Governor Cuomo. The reports of accusations concerning the governor are serious. The committee will have the authority to interview witnesses, subpoena documents and evaluate evidence, as is allowed by the New York State Constitution. I have the utmost faith that Assemblymember Lavine and the members of the committee will conduct an expeditious, full and thorough investigation. This inquiry will not interfere with the independent investigation being conducted by Attorney General James."
James said the Assembly investigation will not conflict with the one her office is leading.
Cuomo has denied the latest allegations.
"I have never done anything like this," Cuomo said. "The details of this report are gut-wrenching."
He declined to comment further, saying he would not speak to the specifics of this or any other allegation given an ongoing investigation overseen by the state Attorney General Letitia James -- who has set up a web site seeking information relating to the case.
Anyone with information can visit AGIndependentInvestigation.com/, call 212-225-3100 for voice messages, text to 518-545-0870, or email independent.investigations@ag.ny.gov.
In this clip from an upcoming episode of #DecisisionNYC with Ben Max, Manhattan Borough President Candidate Lindsey Boylan speaks out for the first time on her accusations against Governor Cuomo.
